The gaming industry continues to advance by exploiting the relatively recent technology advancements, such as networking and communication technology advancements. However, as in most industries, some of the technological advances are introduced by specific companies for specific purposes. As a result, these technological advancements are functionally ideal for the purpose to which they were intended. However, when these technological advances are viewed with a creative eye, they may also result in opening the door for other potential uses. An example of this phenomenon is clearly shown by examining a NASA invention that was designed for use with space suits. During the Apollo program, a super-absorbent fabric was developed to absorb excreted body fluids within a space suit. The fabric was able to hold up to 400 times its own weight. This fabric was developed in an effort to enable Apollo astronauts to conduct spacewalks for six or more hours. Ultimately, the technology advancement has greatly influenced the present disposable diaper industry. However, considerable engineering was required to go from an absorbent fabric to a usable disposable diaper.
Similarly, application of some of the advancements introduced into the electronic gaming industry, when examined under the scrutiny of a creative and curious mind, give rise to uses that were not intended when the technology was introduced. Often times, when implementing such new uses, the implementers are met with obstacles such as incompatibilities, partial functionality, and needs for tweaks or modifications. In some situations, these obstacles can be easily overcome. However, in other situations, overcoming the obstacles may be quite costly, commercially infeasible, or technologically impractical.
One of the technological advancements in the electronic gaming machine industry has been the development and deployment of the Slot Accounting System (SAS) protocol. This protocol enables a uniform interface to various slot machines or electronic gaming machines so that accounting operations can be performed. In many casinos, the SAS protocol is exploited by the use of a Slot Machine Interface Board (SMIB). In this configuration, the SMIB operates to interface to the gaming machines using the SAS protocol and then to the casino's accounting software, typically running on a server, to perform accounting operations. Thus, the use of SAS and SMIBs enables any electronic gaming machine manufacture to develop a machine that includes a SAS port that can be compatible with the casinos slot accounting system—essentially enabling the casino to have machines from multiple vendors while the SMIB normalizes the slot floor.
This technological advancement has been instrumental in the electronic gaming machine industry. However, as described above, this technology has given rise to other uses by the creative minds that have developed the inventions described herein or at a minimum, has been viewed as a component in resolving novel configurations that are used to enhance the use of electronic gaming machines.
Las Vegas Gaming, Inc. is in the business of creating new and useful improvements and advancements in the electronic gaming industry. Some of the aspects of these advancements have been described in United States patent applications Serial Numbers (1) Ser. No. 10/689,407 filed on Oct. 20, 2003 and having a title of CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING PROMOTIONAL EVENTS AND GRANTING AWARDS FOR ELECTRONIC VIDEO GAMES; (2) Ser. No. 10/113,882 filed on Apr. 1, 2002 and having a title of INTERACTIVE VIDEO SYSTEM; (3) Ser. No. 11/468,946 filed on Aug. 31, 2006 and having a title of CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL EVENT PARTICIPATION TO ELECTRONIC VIDEO GAME CUSTOMERS; and (4) Ser. No. 11/470,253 filed on Sep. 6, 2006 and having a title of MOBILE OPERATION OF VIDEO GAMING MACHINES, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. One of the inventive aspects disclosed in these references include the provision of paragaming activities, such as viewing sporting events, participating in other games, participating in promotional events, etc. Paragaming, as used herein, can be construed to mean a game, event, activity, advertisement, entertainment, or the like that can be made available to a user of an electronic gaming machine but which is parasitically added to or implemented on an electronic gaming machine by software of devices that are added to the electronic gaming machine and/or that operates, at least in part, independently from the underlying game of the game machine. For instance, paragaming may include payout tables or winning criteria that is different than the payout table of the underlying game, may include a different theme, and/or may even have no correlation whatsoever with the underlying game. Thus, paragaming can take on a variety of characteristics such as simply providing additional payout options that are based on the operation of the underlying game or, could be the display of entertainment content.
As described in the above-referenced documents, Las Vegas Gaming, Inc. provides paragaming by utilizing a controller unit, coined as the PLAYERVISION™ Controller Unit (PCU) that interfaces to the electronic gaming machine. One aspect of the PCU is to provide and monitor the paragaming activity. One of the hurdles that are encountered when providing this capability is associated with collecting funds or providing monetary winnings associated with the paragaming activity. Upon visiting a modern day casino, the growing popularity of paragaming activity is clearly evident. Much of the push for the paragaming activity is to provide incentives for customers to stay and play. The obvious goal of a casino is to minimize the down time, or idle time for each electronic gaming machine. And as the troubadour Neil Diamond sang so poetically “money talks”. Thus, although providing grandiose entertainment to the casino patrons can help to increase playtime, there is nothing like the added excitement of a potential cash windfall. However, to provide monetary winnings, as well as charging patrons for certain paragaming activity, it is necessary to interface to the casino accounting system, as well as meet any required regulations. Thus, there is a need in the art for a technique to providing paragaming activity that can charge funds and provide monetary winnings. Further, such a technique needs to cooperatively interface with the casino's accounting system.
As one could easily imagine, running a floor full of electronic gaming machines, most of which have moving parts and are subject to drink spillage and the occasional kick or punch from a not so fortunate patron, can be quite costly. As such, casino operators are much more receptive to new ideas, such as paragaming, as long as it adds to the bottom line rather than simply raising costs. Customizing EGMs to provide paragaming activity and to interface to the casino's accounting system can easily be cost prohibitive. Thus, there is a need in the art for a technique to provide paragaming on existing electronic gaming machine platforms in a manner that does not require the costly activity of customizing the system to interface to the casino's accounting system.